Intramuscular fat infiltration is associated with higher vertebral void space burden and lower volumetric bone mineral density in older adults
Authors' conclusion
Intramuscular fat infiltration was independently associated with greater vertebral void space burden and lower vBMD, suggesting that ectopic muscle fat may provide complementary imaging information on localized vertebral structural deterioration beyond conventional density-based measures.
Study context
- Population
- Postmenopausal women and men aged ≥50 years who underwent quantitative CT (quantitative computed tomography (QCT))
- Participants
- 327 women
- Outcome
- Associations of regional adipose tissue distribution, particularly intramuscular fat infiltration, with vertebral void space burden (VS, VS/TV) and vBMD
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Higher VS per 10-percentage-point intramuscular fat fraction (IMFF) increase
257.2%
Higher VS/TV per 10-percentage-point IMFF increase
251.8%
Higher VS after additional adjustment for volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) (P < 0.001)
90.5%
Higher VS/TV after additional adjustment for vBMD (P < 0.001)
88.2%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT)
- Each 1-SD increase in IMAT associated with higher VS and VS/TV, independent of vBMD
vBMD
- Both IMFF and IMAT inversely associated with vBMD
Original publication
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